Southern California Orchid Species Society

October

Species	Notes	Contact for More Information (roberta@orchidcentral.net unless otherwise noted)

Angraecum didieri	Grows outside, mounted, in open shade.	Doug Adams
Brassavola flagellaris	Can grow outside most of the year, would prefer some protection in winter.	Doug Adams
Brassavola perrinii	Grows in greenhouse, mounted. It is fragrant at night.
Cattleya bowringiana	Grows outside (coastal). This is the common pink form.
Cattleya bowringiana v. coerulea	This plant was acquired in the fall, and had been growing in a greenhouse. It was kept in a greenhouse during the winter, but then placed outside (coastal) in the spring. Acclimating all spring, summer and fall, it can safely continue to live outside. The variety "coerulea" means "blue" but, as with most orchids, it's more of a blue-purple.
Ceratolstylis rubra	Grows in greenhouse. Does best mounted, since it rambles in multiple directions. Also, it likes humidity but needs to dry out between waterings.
Cleisocentron merrillianum	Grows outside (coastal), in open shade.It does well either in a fern pot or in a clay pot with moist but open mix. The color is truly blue, which is an unusual color in flowers generally and certainly in orchids. The color perhaps is best described as slate-blue or gray-blue. Closeup of flower.
Coelogyne fimbriata	Grows outside (coastal), in open shade, in an open basket. (RF) A closeup view of another plant (DA)	Roberta Fox Doug Adams
Coelogyne flaccida	Grows outside, in bright shade. It needs to grow in a basket, since the inflorescence may come from the side or bottom of the plant. This inflorescence developed curled inside the basket (did not find the hole). The inflorescence is very soft (flaccid), and so could be easily manipulated through the larger opening cut into the basket. The inflorescence and the plant. Closeup of the flower.
Coelia macrostachya	Syn. Bothriochilus macrostachys. Grows outside (coastal), in bright shade. The inflorescence is quite spectacular even before the flowers open. Closeup of flowers.
Clowesia russelliana	Grows in greenhouse. Like all Catasetinae, needs a dry rest in winter, resume watering only when new growth is about 3" long. Unlike some of the Catasetinae (but like most other orchids), flowers have both male and female parts ("perfect flower") Closeup of flower.
Cycnoches cooperi	Grows in greenhouse. Top picture is female flower, bottom is male. Closeup of male flower.
Cycnoches cooperi
Cymbidium finlaysonianum	This species wants to be a lot warmer than most Cymbidiums. It is OK outside in the spring and summer, but should at least spend the winter in the greenhouse. It does fine in the greenhouse all year. It also seems to want less light than most Cymbidiums. This one has light green leaves with bright shade. The hard leaves burn surprisingly easily. Flower closeup. It can also bloom in June.	Roberta Fox (October) Richard Hess (June)
Dendrobium cucumerinum	Grows in greenhouse	Edie Gulrich
Dendrobium rigidum	Can grow in greenhouse (EG) or outside (BO). Here is photo of the plant.	Edie Gulrich (October) Barbara Olson (February)
Dendrochillum magnum	Grows outside (coastal) or in greenhouse. Here is a closeup of the individual flowers. Here is the plant that grows outdoors.	Roberta Fox (Outside) Edie Gulrich (Greenhouse)
Maxillaria pachyphylla	Grows outside (coastal) in bright shade, in a basket. It is fragrant. Also bloomed in March.
Laelia milleri	Grows outside (coastal). It's one of the rupiculous Laelias. It is in a pot with loose mix, but should grow well mounted also.
Laelia superbiens	Grows outside (coastal). It was previously classified as Schomburgkia. This plant is not a miniature. The pseudobulbs are 18 inches to 2 ft, and the 3-ft inflorescence arises from the top of the pseudobulb. This is a view of the whole plant. Here is a closeup of the flowers.
Masdevallia floribunda v. tuerkheimii	Grows outside (coastal) in shade. It is below the mounted plants, so it is quite moist. It is in a mix of coconut husk and perlite, so mix is very open. Also, it is in a clay pot, which helps to keep the roots cool in hot weather.
Maxillaria rufescens	Grows in greenhouse, in an open basket. Very strong vanilla-like fragrance.
Miltonia spectabilis v. moreliana	Grows outside (coastal). It prefers bright shade. When grown with too much light, the leaves and pseudobulbs become very yellow and plant does not grow as well.
Paphiopedilum gratrixianum	Grows outside (coastal), in shade.
Paphiopedilum insigne	Grows outside (coastal) in bright shade or filtered sun. It needs more light than most Paphiopedilums.
Phalaenopsis lindenii	Grows in greenhouse. This view shows the arching inflorescence and the beautiful mottled leaves.
Phragmipedium besseae	Grows outside (coastal) in bright shade. It needs consistent moisture. (RF note: After observing this plant growing on exposed cliff faces and roadcuts in Equador, I realized why it was doing poorly in my greenhouse - not nearly enough light. It is in a sheltered spot, does not seem to object to cool nights. It receives daily watering, since it is below the mounted plants. It is in a 50-50 mix of coconut husk chips and diatomite, stays fairly wet but mix is also very open)
Pleurothallis grobyi	Grows in greenhouse.	Edie Gulrich
Pleurothallis sp.	Grows in greenhouse	Edie Gulrich
Pleurothallis stricta	Grows outside (coastal), best in shade. It produces many keikis, which easily root, so that you have plants to share with your friends. Close-up of flower.
Prosthechea cochleata	Grows outside (coastal), in filtered sun. The inflorescence blooms successively, so it will stay in bloom for several months.
Scaphyglottis leucantha	Grows outside (coastal), in bright shade. It has 1/8" flowers on pseudobulbs that grow as keikis on other pseudobulbs. Close up of Scaphyglottis leucantha.
Scaphyglottis minutiflora	Grows outside (coastal) in bright shade. Its rambling habit lends itself to growing it mounted.
Sobralia macrantha	Grows outside (coastal), in nearly full sun (with the Cymbidiums). It likes to be on the moist side. This one will never get to a meeting, since it is about 4' tall, in a heavy clay pot (so that it doesn't tip over in a strong wind). The flowers only last about two days, but it blooms successively on the same growth, blooming on and off for about two months. Another plant, which bloomed in June.
Stanhopea oculata	Grows outside (coastal) in filtered sun or bright shade. Stanhopeas do need good light to bloom, but the thin leaves burn easily if they receive direct sun. The inflorescence grows downward, so these must be grown in a basket. They open suddenly, with a wonderful fragrance. Here is a closer view from the side. Viewed from beneath, more spots are visible, distinguishing this from some other species that look similar. The pendant growth and complexity of the flower make it very difficult to obtain photographs that really capture the essence of the bloom.
Stenoglottis fimbriata	Grows outside (coastal) in filtered sun. Flowers are very similar to Stenoglottis longifolia, but the leaves are narrower, and may be variagated. Closeup of flower, showing a bit of fringing on petals.
Stenoglottis longifolia	Grows outside (coastal), in filtered sun. After it blooms in the fall (or in fact, while it is still in bloom) it loses its leaves. It does not seem to need to be dried out during its winter dormancy. In the spring, new "rosettes" of leaves appear. These increase each year, and the plant can easily become a beautiful specimen.
Trichopilia fragrans	Grows outside (coastal), in bright shade. The inflorescence got attacked by a little green worm (caterpillar) so this was the only flower to survive, of three buds. It is, as the name implies, fragrant.
Trichopilia sp.	Grows in greenhouse. It was labeled "Trichopilia elegans" but there is no accepted species of that name. It looks a lot like T. rostrata .
Zygopetalum mackayi	Grows outside in filtered sun. It is extremely fragrant.